California for Chinese New Year (the year of the Monkey)!

 

 This year for Chinese New Year, we helped roll in the Year of the Monkey by visiting family in California and eating some Monkey (well, Monkey bread...and lobster noodles and CHICKEN FEET!!!) What's a dim sum meal without Chicken feet...Max is upset in this picture because he had just dropped the chicken foot on the ground and was told to only pose for the picture and not to eat it.

 We walked around a park by my parents' house with all off these birds...the kids were amazing in their unending energy to keep chasing them for hours.

Showing off their New Years' Spoils at the mah jong tables!

A walk through the redwoods

Max in front of a redwood

The girls and their "wishes"

Cute pucker faces!

Off to California for some fun in the sun! This picture is always tough to look at...visiting my grandparents' grave sight...you can just see the pain on our faces...but onto happier times...

COSTCO!!!!...and Pandy #1 that would eventually be left at the Oakland airport...

We had to go to one of my favorite places growing up Genova's Deli...Best sandwhiches in Oakland...I always remember my dad taking us and we would get samples of salami from the guys that worked there!

Baby D taking a bath in my parents' kitchen sink...I remember when it was Max, then Lia and Kiri taking baths in this sink...it has cleaned many a grandchild!

Then off to Guernville!

Cousins!!!

 After our delicious lunch at a Thai restaurant in

 Baby D enjoying the ride.

 We drove to the beach for a day...

 Me, being a wino at the local burger/bar in Guernville.

 

A picture with all of the grandkids...quite the legacy to have built!!!

A kiss from Aimei

When I was working on campus at UC Davis they had an opportunity for employees to submit their recipes and if they decided to incorporate one of your recipes, you got to name it and help expand the recipe to be made on a massive scale...so, my Chinese Eggplant was chosen and I named it 'A kiss from Aimei.' when asked why I chose that name...I had several explanations; food is eaten with the mouth and is a little sign of love from the chef...also that's what I would name a restaurant/Bakery if I ever owned one (which I never would) but honestly, I chose that name because every time someone ordered it, I thought it would be so wonderful to hear them say either,
"I want a big kiss from Aimei," 

or

"I want a small kiss from Aimei." 

Either way it would make my heart happy!

 I know a lot of people don't, but I love the smells of food cooking in a home

 ...it's hard to really allow the kids to help when it comes to chopping and cooking with raw meats and knives, though my kids love to try!

...but baking is a different story entirely...these were part of the dark dark chocolate cookies in the care package we sent my mom for her birthday.

 Here is Kiri showing off our extra long Key lime cheesecake filled banana bread! MMMM

Everyone got their own aprons...even baby d...it's sad that Max isn't pictured here (he was at school) because he has become my best little sous chef and taste tester!!! One day your spouses will be thankful you are all such good little cooks!

Max is Seven!!

We had a birthday party for Max at the civic center on the climbing wall. Max chose a Green Lantern theme which I jumped on since I still had green forks, spoons, knives, black napkins and a gallon on green fondant from last years Ben 10 themed party!

Here is the pistachio cake that Max chose

Here are the Green Lantern cookies we had made for the party...they were almost too perfect to eat!

 

Max after opening Mom and Dad's gifts to him...a giant Green Lantern and Superman! They still sleep under his bed to protect him at night!

Off to school!

They had a scheduling error and lucky us, we got to be the only party to also get to rock climb on their  black light special

Lia took to rock climbing like she takes to everything else physical...she was AWESOME!

The best part of having a friends party is lots of gifts & Friends to share them with.